


Mundane Thanks

by sugarblossom



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gen, No Dialogue, Papa Kukui, Thanksgiving, ish, more of a descriptive piece, slightly?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:34:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27724222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarblossom/pseuds/sugarblossom
Summary: What do you live for? Success? Money? Goals? Or is it something more mundane?
Relationships: Burnet-hakase | Professor Burnet & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Satoshi no Pikachu | Ash Ketchum's Pikachu
Comments: 17
Kudos: 40





	Mundane Thanks

**Author's Note:**

> TW: food

The sun burrowed under the cloud blankets, tucking itself under the ever-changing ocean patterns. Breezes weaved through the tree, plucking their branches like strings. Moonlight trickled through the half-opened curtains. 

The leaves scuttled outside, crunched like the sound of footsteps in fresh snow. 

The rustle of book pages. The tap of stylus on ipad. 

Kukui and Burnet glanced up in unison as Ash creaked the bathroom door open, his blow dryer fizzing out and cheeks rosy from the clash of temperature. 

Ash sweatdropped at the professors’ stern stare, whipping his towel onto its hanger and propping his blow dryer next to its charger.

The smell of soap and candles mingled together, swirling like fog wisps. 

Pikachu scampered across the floor, leaving a trail of tippity taps. 

Ash laughed as Pikachu bowled himself at his stomach, twirling both of them around.

Both professors grinned as Ash cooed at Pikachu, backdropped by their set dining table, lit by warmth. 

As Kukui went up to greet Ash, Burnet stayed behind, flipping a worn pillow with a pineapple stitching to reveal its cool side. 

Kukui ruffled Ash’s dry hair, teasingly guiding him back to the table. 

Ash and Pikachu’s mouths watered as they stared at the table full of food, much to Burnet’s amusement. 

The heater hummed a low song as thunder clapped outside. 

As the family sat down for dinner, the storm clouds continued on.

Folded napkins. Warm conversations. Bursting flavors. 

Ash and Pikachu slurped noodles and ketchup respectively. 

A pumpkin pie, as spongy as moss speckled with morning dew like freckles. Water bottles with pawprint stickers and hot chocolate mugs, clinking like wind chimes. Embarrassing air kisses and the smell of baked goods floating like bubbles. 

Ash and Pikachu shared a cinnamon bun and malasada, licking their milk smeared lips. 

A cake of home, sprinkled with peace, engulfed in love, melted by comfort, crowned by rising and falling emotions, topped with a cherry of time. 

Utensils gleamed under the strings of fairy lights like autumn leaves in the sunlight, contrasting the grey hue enveloping the world outside.

Ash brought the dishes over to the sink, eyes sparkling when Pikachu brought him a replacement for the old sponge. 

The clover-shaped soap the dispenser gives. The diamond-patterned plate when water runs over it. The spiking of iridescent soap against oil, bubbling like water under a faucet. 

Kukui tossed a napkin wad through the air like a basketball, cheering when it landed in the trash bin. Burnet rolled her eyes, going to dry the laundry as Kukui wiped the table down, humming to himself. 

Before long, Ash and Pikachu bounded over, laughing as they tackled Kukui.

Ash and Kukui lugged a trash bag each, chasing each other to the front door to greet Burnet.

After emptying the mailbox, Burnet waved to them, the wind tossing her hair around like they were underwater. 

Pikachu held up a penny he found in the dirt, snickering when everyone cheered for him. 

They all glanced upwards when the first raindrop nestled into their hair.

Racing inside, Ash and Pikachu heaved the curtains open, racing the raindrops sliding down the windows. 

Kukui, amused, tended to his fish pokemon while Burnet sat next to Ash and Pikachu, setting up a favorite movie to keep them company.

A movie that was so cheesy that it made them wheeze in laughter. 

The tiny raindrops melted into the ground like kisses. Leaves were weighed down like paper boats. 

Fragile as a snowflake, as sturdy as a pile of them. The rain sent ripples and spires all over the ground, coming in streaks like comets and calming like popping bubble wrap. 

Burnet peeled a fruit sticker and a clementine. Tearing the clementine peel into a flower shape, she handed the clementine to Ash, who grinned, sharing half of it with Pikachu. 

Ash got out his language journal, bopping his head to the soft crackling music while Pikachu curled up next to him, a paw placed on Ash’s side for support. 

Smiling, Burnet tended to her succulents. Green pointy rose petals. A gradient of purple or pink to green. The plants spiraling inwards to a starry center like a perfect self-serve ice cream swirl. 

Constant care. 

The rain splattered and slid, a canvas of dots and dashes. The smell of rain and ocean spray sneaked through the window crack, playing with the candles. 

Kukui exchanged a glance with Burnet, lighting a candle and placing it on the counter. The wax pooled around the candle wick, glistening in the light of the wiggling fire. 

As Burnet sorted through the mail, Kukui broke the perforated seal of a new peanut butter jar, making perfect pj & j sandwiches all of them tomorrow. 

The rim of the inside out bag formed a heart shape. 

Burnet’s pen flowed over the silky sticky note, doing fancy loops while Burnet wrote her g’s, j’s, t’s, and y’s. 

Ash chewed the end of his pen, perking up when Kukui zipped the ziplock bags with a satisfying click. Burnet chuckled, handing Ash a letter addressed to him from his friends. 

Ash gasped, holding it between him and Pikachu. 

Shifting a bouquet of real flowers labeled from her to Kukui, Burnet sighed in relief as she finally got to close all of her research tabs. 

Flowers, nurtured with soothing rain, soaked in the happy sunshine, were kept away from intrusive weeds whenever they popped up. 

Kukui shifted over, teasing Burnet as she marveled at the two-pack candy having both her favorite flavors. 

Ash was lounging on the sofa, running a finger over the cracks in his nokia, webbed like dry mud. 

Snickering, Pikachu poked Ash’s cheek. 

When Pikachu yawned, Ash poked a finger into his mouth. Pikachu did a test nibble before darting off, to Ash’s amusement. 

Chuckling, Ash stretched, enjoying his joints cracking like glow sticks before cheering because he finally found the edge of his tape roll. 

Both professors sweatdropped.

The sky was still drumming on umbrellas, weeping it all out, releasing the tension of the world and maintaining equilibrium. 

It’s sacred. 

Kukui rested his head on Burnet’s cozy oversized hoodie, snickering when she ran a hand through his hair before crinkling the plastic off his new book. 

Ash and Pikachu rolled their eyes when the professors nuzzled noses, giving each other back rubs. 

Gliding scissors across paper, Ash wrapped his gift up. 

The lights outside blurred in the rain as if they were in fog, suddenly flicking off to reduce light pollution. Ash drew a heart on the foggy window, exchanging a grin with Pikachu. 

Burnet opened a smooth new chapstick, applying it to her lips before pecking Kukui to transfer it. 

Kukui jokingly huffed, trying to untangle his hair and earbuds as Burnet helped Ash with his Pikachu seal. 

A pool of wax, a mold, a satisfying peel. 

Pikachu cheered, tail waving up and down like an antenna. 

The rain sounds faded away, like the stop of a leaking faucet, the ending of a favorite song, soft and longing.

Their steady heartbeats dulled out the surrounding. As soft as a lullaby, as relaxing as a soul breathing.

Pikachu waved from Ash’s lap, chirping. 

Ash and Burnet called up Delia and Ash’s other friends, with Kukui popping on the screen ever so often with a stack of warm newly printed paper. 

The last leaf on the trees loosened its grip, spiraling and fluttering from side to side until it hugged the ground, which was a quilt of colors.

Burnet reveled in the satisfaction of plugging her laptop in just before the batteries ran out, to Ash and Pikachu’s amusement. 

Kukui brought a glass of milk for Ash and Burnet each and a container of honey. 

The honey swirled in the milk like cream in coffee. 

Pikachu’s ears perked up when he heard the clothes dryer beeping. 

Ash scooped Pikachu onto his shoulder, sliding across the floor in his socks.

Burnet and Kukui found Ash wrapped in a fresh clean blanket, hair sticking up from the static. 

The warmth of fire, the spirit of water, the grounding of grass. 

Both professors laughed, squishing Ash and Pikachu between them by holding hands. 

As the family laid out the blankets and hung up the clothing, the moon glowed like a dull marble. 

Without noticing it, the clouds shifted, the time passed, the earth turned, cradling everyone. Stars flicker on to act as nightlights, and the abyss was black velvet shimmering with white sequins. 

Darkness is natural. It’s more natural than brightness. 

After a session of jokingly flicking toothpaste foam, splashing water, smearing lotion on each other’s faces, the family slept knowing they are one. 

The joy of unknowns, the sorrow of familiarity. Here’s to hoping everyone reap what they sowed this Thanksgiving. 

The universe moves on, and tomorrow’s a new day.

**Author's Note:**

> Because I want to honor that any reason to live is significant!
> 
> Happy Thanksgiving everyone! How are we doing? I hope well, if not alright!


End file.
